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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The PATH is a dangerous place

Now that my foot is better and I'm able to walk without feeling like my foot is being squeezed by a vice with every step, I've gone back to walking underground to and from work.

This is the part where I should mention that I have lost 26 pounds since October 5 of last year.

The biggest changes I made in my lifestyle were giving up sugar, eliminating processed foods, giving up my car (and abandoning the drive-thru) and eating more fresh vegetables. The sugar part was the hardest part - it just about killed me because it's in everything! But you know what's harder? All those food courts! All those cafes!!! It's food. All the time food! Everywhere food!

See, when I get on the bus - no food. When I get on the train - no food. When I get on the subway - no food. When I get into work - no food.

When I walk? Food,  food. food ... and bad food. Croissants, danishes, cupcakes, donuts, and bagels with heaping helpings of cream cheese. And that's just breakfast! Then there's the lunch food. Burgers. Pad thai. Burritos. Subs. Pizza. Veal sandwiches. Panini. Pasta. Shwarma. Falafel. Souvlaki. French fries. OH MY GAWD.

I admit, I lack poor self-control. But I'm wearing a designer pea-coat that would have never fit me last year and I love it and I can't go back to the hippo-wear. I won't do it.

So you know how I deal? I leave all my cards at home except for a credit card locked in my office and carry $5 on me because $5 buys very little and if I break, I won't do a lot of damage. At most, it's something I can burn with the 30-minute round-trip walk.

This has got to get easier. This is what I keep telling myself. I'm 4 pounds away from a 30-pound weight loss.

I can do this! Right?

How do you deal with temptation. Is it just me? Do you give in to all the food?

17 comments:

Bicky said...

Way to go on the weight loss, CJ! That's great!

I treat myself to ONE Timmies steeped tea on the way to the train in the morning. I also treat myself to one lunch out a week. Other than that, I can bypass all the food in the PATH.

My sister will tell you it's because I'm cheap. She would be correct.

C.J. Smith said...

Oh man, I have no problem spending money on food. I am the biggest foodie. Not necessarily fast food but fine dining. I once went to Bymark by myself for the hell of it and hot damn! That was awesome.

Anonymous said...

I'll give you credit for doing something that even mayor Ford has failed miserably at. If you can, try using the stairs instead of the elevator to boost your excersice routine.

C.J. Smith said...

I do take stairs. No elevators. Not at Union. But my office tower locks the stairwells for security reasons so I have to use an elevator.

mumzthewurd said...

I go through before anything opens in the morning and on the way back I stay outside as long as the weather isn't too bad. Keep up the good work!

Skin Man said...

Congrats! I wish I had some helpful advice, but I don't...so I just send you kind wishes!!

April said...

Good for you CJ!

I have a hard time staying away from sugar because I do cakes and teach cake decorating classes part time. There is always cake tops, extra cupcakes, extra icing or some other sweet wonderful thing sitting around waiting to be eaten. I am not smart enough to throw it out right away.

Keep it up! You are doing fantastic :D

AL said...

You Loser.

Weight loser!!! lol
Congrats. I know i noticed you had shed some at the 15 pound mark, you must look great less ten more.

I am very happy for you. Biking again in spring?

Anonymous said...

Congrats!! That's an amazing accomplishment. I too cut out sugar (again) after indulging too much over the summer. The thing that works for me is to keep reminding myself that it's not worth it. Once you get over the sugar addiction (it took me about 5-6 days) even one little bit of it will make me start to crave it again. I really don't want to go through that process again, so I substitute. As much as I don't like splenda, I cave and use it in my coffee if there's no stevia around. I also carry food with me everywhere I go (almonds, cut up veggies, the odd low carb / splenda protein bar) and I eat all the time, small healthy meals, anything to avoid the lure of crappy carbs and sugar.
Congrats again on the weight loss!

ExGOnowTTC said...

I stopped by sitting down and figuring out firstly the calories and fat in all the "snacks" i had, and then worked out the money. That ended it right away, couldn't believe how much i was spending.

Dib said...

I ate a lot of fish and broccoli and don't have (m)any sweets in the house.

Now you can buy skinny pants, too!

Congratulations, slim!

Anonymous said...

Try carrying good snacks with you and eat them while you walk past all those temptations. Apple slices, carrot sticks, a small handful of nuts, etc.

Ashley said...

Keep on it CJ! I love food, all kinds of food. I try to bring a lunch so I'm not tempted to go else where. But I hate sitting in the office all day. So I try to take a walk around the block - if I do that I usually pick up a pizza slice :( I'm bad. So then I don't walk. Eventually I'll get better at not needing to eat at all the different little restaurants around my work place. Since I've been away from work for two weeks I've noticed that I'm not tempted to go out as much. Which is probably a good thing, I've lost 10 pounds LOL

Squiggles said...

I try to limit myself to one lunch a week. Of course, that good intention can be blown out of the water if I forget to buy groceries or make meals for the week. But when that happens, I tend to stick to a couple of places (like Subway).

Plus, I only keep coffee money on my person. On Monday, I will put $10 in my wallet and know it has to last the whole week.

C.J. Smith said...

OH MY GOD!

SHOW ME THE LOVE!!!

Sugar was the hardest part.
I also took some advice and start my day with protein. Baby bel, a cup of milk and 2 slices of deli chicken breast. I noticed that made a HUGE difference in combating hunger.

I am very proud of myself and I've been down this road before but it's different this time because I'm getting older and need to think about my life as a senior (which is still years away but 20 years can fly by).

I just want to be healthy and I am but for how long with the weight I had been carrying and the weight I still carry.

I am also better off not spending the money. I do have bad days but I make changes the following days. For me it's been more lifestyle and some diet changes but lifestyle for sure. I do plan on resuming biking in the Spring.

I hadn't thought of carrying small snacks and will add that to my routine.

Sylv said...

Congratulations! I have lost 55 lbs since last December in 4 rounds of the HCG diet. It worked for me and my husband, bit isn't for everyone. Nice thing is that it resets the hypothalamus and has enabled me to keep the weight off, even though I am eating everything (in moderation).

I am now working towards running a 5k in the spring - yikes!

Anonymous said...

I'm Diabetic, & Aspertame gives me nasty migraines, as I'm also legally blind, I cant read food labals, so I stick with Veggies, get the small ziploc style baggies, (from Dollarama) load them with carrots & greenpepper, Cucumber & also i like a Tims Steeped tea in the mornings, but have learned to make it here at home, (MUCH CHEAPER!) i do 3 milk/2 sweetner when out, but i love herbalk tea as well, I did invest in one expensive thing, a Tim Hortons steel insulated water bottle, $23 but well worth it! I keep water & lots of ice in it, the ice lasts till the ride home, (which as I'm now living in Dartmouth N.S & Work is in south Halifax, the commute takes nearly 2 hours, buses only here, with horrible service, but my husband was here, so wanted to be closer to him)
I have lost 47lb since leaving T.O in june, (stress, lack of exercise & bad food) I love it here, but it is a lot rougher, & definitely more expensive for food!
simple life changes & diet changes have worked for me, as I was already goign to lose my job, (Zellers) it was an easy choice..